Last year, we looked back at those “near-miss” reviews that caused a bit of consternation amongst our readers. These are games that we ranked as a 3 or below, only to find that they had vocal and ardent defenders in the comments section. Now that it’s 2013, we want to take a look back at our most-disputed reviews of 2012, and highlight the most insightful comments from our readers.

Mass Effect Infiltrator

When Mass Effect Infiltrator was first released, we were shocked by how great the graphics were– and how bad the combat system was. Instead of allowing you to target enemies freely, you had to wait for a reticle to appear. Even worse, the reticle wouldn’t toggle on if you weren’t at just the right angle, or if you ran at the enemy and closed the gap. While Mass Effect Infiltrator was eventually patched to offer an alternate control scheme, causing us to raise our score from a 1 (avoid) to a 3 (good), we had already received a plasma blast of heat from our readers.

We said: “We had high hopes for Mass Effect Infiltrator. The graphics are clearly outstanding, but the gameplay and control issues ruin the fun… Even if you’re the most die-hard of the die-hard Mass Effect fans, this painful-to-play shooter is not worth your time.”

You said: “Beautiful game mechanics and graphics! Great on-the-go mass effect 3 companion. I’ve played almost every fps and cover shooter game the iPhone has to offer, and this one definitely pulls ahead of most if not all.” -DBa11_r

Number of comments: 86

Chaos Rings 2

Chaos Rings 2 was another highly-anticipated game from a major developer that we thought fell short. While the first Chaos Rings was a groundbreaking mobile RPG, the sequel reminded us a bit too much of all the previous RPGs we’ve played. Minor touchscreen and gameplay annoyances also kept this lush-looking game from reaching the heights of its predecessor. But some of you strongly disagreed, calling Chaos Rings 2 the best RPG on iOS.

We said: “Chaos Rings II is a very good representation of the genre, though it doesn’t really do anything so outstanding as to elevate it to a new level or rise above. But its story and characters stand tall among the best, and we recommend it to anyone who is a fan of this type of game– and perhaps even some who aren’t.”

You said: “i always prefer japanese voices in these rpg’s. and i also believe i’m not alone in this. look at all the undub projects. i didn’t see any problems with the touchscreen controls. and never minded another jrpg with the same formula as long as it’s done right. in summary this game is a 4+ for me :)” -ALi KILIÃ‡

Number of comments: 19

Rage of Bahamut

This free-to-download card-battling game clearly struck a chord with our readers. 248 comments were left on our review, though most of them were from readers leaving their ID code so that they would receive bonus rupees for referring others to the game. Still, any game that creates this level of fan devotion must be doing something right. Our reviewer thought that the repetitive quests and cheesy fantasy tropes kept it from Must Have status, but the vast army of commenters suggest otherwise.

We said: “First impressions could cause a player to disregard this game, and several features of the interface don’t help this matter. The breadth of content, combined with the active community and developers who seem like they’re sticking with keeping things fresh, can make Rage of Bahamut something you check again and again…”

You said: “Be prepared to spend the next three weeks glued to your phone. This is a TCG that really comes down to collecting, which is my favorite part of card games. There are several levels of rarity for cards, and the top cards can be worth hundreds of dollars. If you loved collecting Pokemon cards or MTG cards, then this game is definitely for you.” -gravecow

Number of comments: 248

Dead Trigger

Madfinger’s sharp-looking zombie shooter Dead Trigger debuted at $.99, and was later marked down permanently to free. That’s because in addition to the undead, it was crawling with freemium gimmicks like overly expensive weapons. This freemium model split our readers down the middle– some lamented the diminished gameplay, while others celebrated the quality graphics and bloody entertainment.

We said: “If you approach Dead Trigger looking for anything other than an intense, fast-paced bloodbath, then you’re going to be disappointed. It may look like an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 game, but it plays very much like a game built for iOS– which, of course, it is.”

You said: “This game is really good with all the levels and the amazing graphics are perfect. The game can get a bit repetitive and the in app purchase hurts the game alot. The guns are overpriced getting free gold is really tough. The game is still the best zombie shooter so far.” -Baldemar

Number of comments: 16

Saturday Morning RPG

Clearly, developer Mighty Rabbit remembers the 80s. Every character and item in Saturday Morning RPG makes reference to the fact that 30 years ago, Michael Jackson, Mr. T, and G.I. Joe were the coolest things on the planet. The game, however, wasn’t as much fun when it first launched. We originally gave it a 2 out of 4, for a shallow combat system and a glitchy menu that would make it too easy to erase your progress. Some of these were fixed in an update, so we raised our score to a 3, but not before some of our readers responded with pure fury.

We said: “Based on the first, free episode, we think Saturday Morning RPG has some promise, though those who didn’t grow up in the 80’s probably won’t get as much out of it. Even if you like Saturday Morning RPG’s style, the battles can be really tough and drawn out, so you’ll have to be at the top of your game in both reflexes and finger-mashing endurance to stand a decent chance.”

You said: “Battles are average as far as RPGs go, or easy depending on the battle. Battle frequecy is about average for an RPG. Battles are definitely not drawn out or overly difficult. The right timing to defend adds to the gameplay.” -Telltales

As usual, December was a great month for iOS gamers, with big games dropping every week (at least until the yearly week-long App Store shutdown over Christmas). But one game in particular blew us away with its moody atmosphere and excellent design, so we had to give it this month’s highest honor. The game is The Room Two. (more…)

Things are heating up as the year comes to a close. November was a fantastic month for iOS gamers, with a huge number of Must Have titles hitting the App Store. So whether you wanted to build a Death Star or run and jump as Mickey Mouse, the App Store had you covered. But there can be only one Game of the Month, and November’s is Oceanhorn by Cornfox & Bros. (more…)

Last week, the first generation of iOS 7 controllers were officially revealed to the world and immediately became available for purchase. First we went hands-on with the Logitech PowerShell, and now we’ve had a chance to extensively test the MOGA Ace Power controller. While the Ace Power has more buttons and joysticks than Logitech’s controller, the flimsy plastic feel, limited battery, and spotty support on the App Store make us question whether it’s really the future of iOS gaming. (more…)

October was another fine month for iOS gamers, with a number of notable titles coming out across a variety of genres. So whether you wanted to kill gorgeously rendered zombies or drive a race car, the App Store had you covered. But there can be only one Game of the Month, and this month it’s Device 6. (more…)

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Latest Recommended Games

Industrial Toys has released it’s follow-up to the great Midnight Star. In Renegade, a much more casual game, the focus is on short bursts of play and the never-ending constant upgrading of weapons and gear. This game brings the great controls for a mobile FPS that the previous version had, but focuses less on the story and more on the frantic gameplay.

Heroes of Loot 2 is an update to the original that brings even more to love of the original. This time around the player chooses two player types to take into the dungeon, switching between them in the game as needed.

Heroes of Loot 2 is 50% off right now for launch.

After their job, of keeping the dungeons in balance, was done, our heroes needed a new job. Roaming the lands they found a call for heroes, a castle in need, possible even a damsel in distress?

Pick two heroes to take into the adventure, controlling both heroes and using their special skills to navigate the dangerous castle hallways, rooms and floors. Switching between the two characters to solve quests, puzzles, and of course clear the dungeons of all evil.

Human Resources Corporation, from some of the same fine folks that brought us World of Goo is a puzzle games that makes some of the basics of programming into a fun little exercise.

The premise is that the player is a new recruit in a corporation that need to tell other in game characters how to move and act by giving a set of program commands to complete tasks. It’s a great introduction to the logic used in programming and a fun little game with great personality. Which is expected considering the team that created this.

Temple Run 2 has done it again. Expanded into a whole new world with the Blazing Sands expansion. Available now in the game.

Touch Arcade notes:

It’s called “Blazing Sands,” and as you can see from the above trailer, you’ll be running through canyons along side raging rapids and Egyptian-y looking statues while marauding vines are smacking you in the face… Which really isn’t much of a surprise as vines in video games seem to be jerks almost 100% of the time. Of course there’s new stuff to unlock too between new outfits and Blazing Sands artifacts. If you collect ’em all, you’ll even get a swanky new hat.

From Martin Magni, the developer of the great Odd Bot Out, Mekorama hit the App Store this week. This charming puzzle game has the player guide a robot through a series of very unique 3D puzzles. The puzzles have shades of Monument Valley without the Escher inspired vibe.

One of the features that really sets this game apart from others is the integrated level editor. This lets players create their own levels and share them via a simple QR code integrated image. Take a look at the new levels shared on Twitter with the #Mekorama hashtag. I’ve even created one to test the path finding skills of that little robot.

Mekorama is free in the App Store with a pay what you want price model.

There have been a lot of games that have aped the style of Monument Valley, but not that have really gotten the idea and complexity of the game. That is until Evo Explores. Evo Explores really understand the game and does a great job of adding puzzle types to the original that it unashamedly takes inspiration from. It’s so good that members of the Monument Valley team have remarked how impressed they are.

But beside that, the game can stand on its own as well. It’s a great suspension of belief type puzzler with new and interesting mechanics and is just plain fun. The story that goes along is a little weak, but then again that’s just a small part of the game. Well worth a download.

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